Closure devices for openings



.my 30,1195?, D. s. Woon 2,801,021

CLosURE DEVICES FOR OPENINGS Filed July 13, 1954 Fusi FIG.3

United States Patent CLosURE DEVICES ron oPENINGs David Stanley Wood, Girraween, New South Wales, Australia, assignor to Press Plugs Pty. Limited, Girraween, New South Wales, Australia Application July 13, 1954, Serial No. 443,083 Claims priority, application Australia `luly 27, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 22d-24.5)

This invention relates to improved closure devices such as plugs for sinks, baths and the like, and caps such as petrol tank caps.

Hitherto, the drain openings in sinks, baths, tubs and the like have been plugged by usually solid rubber or steel plugs. Both types of plugs, however, are subject to the Vchief disadvantages of, iirstly requiring to be matched to the individual opening in the sink or bath if a water-tight seal is to be provided. This has been found necessary because of the deviation from standard size of openings as well as plugs produced by different manufacturers.

Secondly, although an initial water-tight seal is effected, continual use will result in Wear on the bearing surface of the plug until good sealing of the opening is no longer possible.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a closure device substantially free from the above disadvantages.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a closure device for openings which is rugged, simple to operate and cheap to manufacture.

According to the invention a closure device for openings comprises a resilient casing having a bottom and a side wall, the outer periphery of the side wall being adapted to lit within the opening to be closed; and pressure applying means within the casing adapted to engage the inner periphery of the side Wall when operated to force the casing into substantially water-tight engagement with the sides of the opening.

In order that the invention may be better understood a preferred form of the invention as applied to plugs for sinks, baths, basins, tubs and the like will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded side elevation in perspective of the component parts of the plug;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an assembled plug in the locked position, and

Fig. 3 is a part sectional side elevation on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings the plug includes a hollow outer casing 4 of rubber, plastic, libre or other suitable resilient material having a substantially cylindrical Wall 5 closed at one end to form a bottom 6 and having an inwardly directed ange 7 at the other end or top 8. Two substantially circular discs 9 and 10 of plastic, stainless steel, brass or like non-corrosive material having a medial hole 11 are assembled face to face and located within the casing 4 between the ange 7 and upper surface 12 of the bottom 6 thereof. The diameter of the discs 9 and closely approximates the internal diameter of the casing Wall 13.

A third circular disc 14 of non-corrosive material, having a smaller medial hole 15 than the other discs is divided into four sectors 16 and is located between the first two circular discs 9 and 10. It is preferred that the "ice diameter of the sectored disc 14 be slightly greater than that of the other discs 9 and 10.

The holes 11 and 15 through each disc provide an opening from the top of the plug into a cylindrical recess 17 in the bottom 6 thereof. Within this opening and recess 17 is fitted a cylindrical plunger 18 having a flanged base 19. The cylindrical wall of the plunger from about midway along its length tapers at 20 from a diameter larger than the hole 15 in the third disc 14 to a smaller diameter near the ange 19. It has been found that a suitable taper is 5. However, many other degrees of taper will also be found suitable.

A diametric hole is bored through the upper end 21 of the plunger 18 to accept the ends of a D loop 22 to which a line chain may be attached. l

Drain plugs made in accordance with this invention impose no stringent requirement on the size of the outer resilient casing made for any particular standard size drain opening. It is necessary only for the casing 4 to lit within the opening.

The resilience of the casing wall 4 forces the seetored disc 14 against the wall of the plunger 18 so that when the plunger is depressed the taper 20 on the plunger wall forces the four sectors 16 outwardly which in turn urge the outer periphery 5 of the casing Wall 4 against the sides of the drain opening, thereby effecting a substantially water-tight seal.

The action of pulling the chain to remove the plug will withdraw the plunger 18 and consequently relieve the pressure on the wall of the casing so that the plug is removed with ease.

Plugs of this type, although mass produced, will ensure that a good seal is provided on drain openings regardless of the variations in manufacture of such openings, as well as extensive wear on the bearing surface of the resilient casing.

Many modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art such as for example the number of sectors into which the operating disc is divided, the construction of the lirst two discs 9 and 1i), as well as the particular arrangement for exerting pressure upon the wall of the casing. In this regard it should be clearly understood that the foregoing description is merely exemplary of one form of the invention.

For instance the four discs 16 and plunger 1S may be replaced by a circular expanding ring of spring steel or the like adapted to tit within the casing. The two ends of the ring may be associated with a hollow cylindrical cam of metal or plastic having a lever arm attached thereto. The contours on the cam would be arranged so that depression of the lever arm causes the cam to force the ends of the ring apart thereby distorting the wall 4 of the casing 5 into engagement with the sides of the drain opening. The natural closing pressure of the ring would restore the plug to normal when the lever is raised.

The closure device of the invention is equally suitable for providing a cap for such openings as appear on motor vehicle petrol tanks. ln this application the cap would be similar to that previously described and may also incorporate a cover of metal or plastic having a medial hole for free movement of the plunger, if this is used, and being fixed to the upper end of the resilient casing. The cover could be made to extend over the rim of the petrol tank spout and be chrome-plated to provide a very attractive external appearance.

What I claim is:

l. A closure device for a circular substantially cylindrically walled opening comprising a cup-like resilient integral casing loosely receivable in the opening and having a side wall, a continuous bottom at one end and an inwardly directed integral ange at its other end; a freely Vinner periphery of the 'casing sidewall; the axial thickness of said disc being a minor proportion of the height of said casing and being less than `the thickness of said botstantially circular discs seated in said cavity within the casing and surrounding the side of the plunger, said discs tom, said plunger having an outwardly diverging taper extending from near the inner' end of the plunger for part way along the plunger; the sectored disc being formed with an aperture smallerjthan the apertures in the first mentioned discs so thatv the inner edge of thev sectored disc vcontacts the side of the taper.

2. A closure device for a circular substantially cylindrically walled openingcomprising a cup-like resilient integral casing loosely receivable Vin the opening and having a side wall, a 'continuous bottom at one end and an inwardly directed `integral ange at its other end detining ank annular cavity in said casing, said bottom .being formed with an axial recess; a freely rotatable and depressible elongated plunger Within the casing having an operating portion and a pressure `receiving portion; said operating portion being receivablerin said axial recess upon actuation of said plunger, at leasttwo apertured sub- 705,059 Flynn July 22, 1.902 1,109,262 Tackney Sept. A1, 1914 2,214,732 Kraft Sept. 17, 1940 v 2,718,974 Helbig Sept. 27, 19755 being restrained from axial movement in one direction byV the inwardly directed ange and in the other direction by said continuous bottom; a multi-sectored circular disc slidably retained between the rst mentioned discs and having its outer edge adjacent the inner periphery of the casing side wall; the axial thickness of said disc being a minor proportion of the height of said casing and being less than Vthe thickness of saidbottom, said plunger having an outwardly diverging taper extending from near the inner end of the plunger for part way along the plunger;

a substantially cylindrical part adjoining the taper and forming together therewith the operating portion of the plunger; the sectored disc being formed with an aperture smaller than the apertures in the rst mentioned discs so that the inner edge of the sectored disc contacts the side Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 

